(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a vibration damping structure of a shift lever retainer.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Generally, there is a problem in a shift lever mount structure of a direct shift type manual transmission that vibration from a power unit consisting of an engine, clutch and transmission or vibration due to backlash of gears in the transmission is transmitted from a transmission case through a shift lever retainer to a shift lever thereby causing inconvenient vibration of the shift lever or generating noise.
To prevent such a problem in the prior art, it has been proposed that a rubber sheet is interposed between the shift lever retainer and the transmission case as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-open No. 57-3035, or it has been also proposed that a vibration damping rubber is inserted in the shift lever.
However, in such a conventional method, supporting rigidity of the shift lever is decreased within a range where a rubber sheet inserted between the shift lever retainer and the transmission case is deformed to cause bad influence upon shift feeling. Even when it is intended to obtain vibration damping effect within a range where the shift feeling is not badly influenced, satisfactory vibration damping effect may not be attained because a thickness of the rubber sheet cannot be so reduced.